Aloha, my ambitious and hard-working compatriots! I'm sure you are as ready to get a jump on 2018 as I am! I was actually just working on a random project in my studio while brainstorming how to prepare myself for the coming annum, and, although I'm not usually one for new year's resolutions in the traditional sense, I do like to at least attempt to put forth a plan of intention for my art career. As I was trying to sort out what things I need to focus on in 2018, I remembered this handy dandy lil worksheet I put together last year.

I figured it would be a great tradition to start filling it out every year and sharing it. Here's last year's goals of mine. I was able to keep most of them, but one or two I've fallen a bit short (guilty as charged - I'm still pretty lazy and uninterested when it comes to my bookkeeping!).

I feel like constant self-improvement is key to living a thriving life. I know I'm happiest when I spot an area in my life that needs a bit of TLC so I slowly chip away at the issue one baby step at a time and then before too long - viola! One more component of life is optimal and bringing happiness instead of grief. I have a bit more about my reflections on self-improvement here.

So get inspired!! Decide who/where you want to be in one year from now!! Download this worksheet and use it for your own 2018 grand ambitions :)

Here are my resolutions:

1. Self-promotion is what I need to work on that I can be really bad about. I spend so much time in my studio creating artwork, and I should be spending almost an equal time promoting what I'm creating as well. I'm pretty regular posting on my basic social media, but there is so much more I know I should be doing to get my art out there. My 2018 goal is to promote my artwork in two different ways every day.

2. There is a big art opening party on the first Friday of every month and I have been meaning to go at least 5-6 times this past year and something has always come up. However this year I will go at least 2-3 times for sure! I just need to update my Honolulu Museum of Art membership and I'm totally there! It should be a great way to meet other local creatives which is also a goal of mine.

The Honolulu Biennial was the most memorable art event I attended in 2017. Check out some very thought-provoking pieces from the show on my blog here.

3. I would love to figure out a way to donate my time drawing portraits for a worthy cause somehow..... I really need to get the gears churning to make something like that work out.

4. I need to be better about following my lists more closely. I've always been one to make 'To Do' lists on an almost daily basis, and I'm pretty good about following them but sometimes I get off on a tangent and wind up tweaking or redoing something that is less important than what is actually planned for me to do that day. It always seems so important at the time, but often I wind up fooling myself - ha!

5. At this point having just moved into my new studio my entire life is finding better ways to organize so this is one thing I can wholeheartedly check off the list!

6. I've honestly wanted to get back into doing more creative modeling for artistic photographers, or perhaps even other types of artists too. A few years ago I kept being invited in front of the camera by various talented folks and I really grew to love being a muse in someone else's vision. I've worked with four photogs since being out in Hawai'i but I think I'm ready to put myself out there and work with more on a regular basis.

What kinds of improvements will you be working towards this year? Let me know in the comments!

originally published: December 30, 2017